Redemption Song Again
by crashintothesun
Summary: This is the continued version of the story I previously deleted. Chapter 9 is up. AN: This story is on a very long hiatus due to the meltdown of my laptop.
1. Author's Note

**This is only an author's note; the story will be back after December 16th.**

Uh… due to anger issues, I deleted my fic "Redemption Song" and all documents concerning said fic in a fit of rage over a rude review. Anyway, someone who I really, really appreciate right now brought me back down to earth and this is still the same fic but it starts at chapter nine. I'm trying to figure out how to undelete files right now so yea.

Personal disclaimer: Please refrain from posting flares, I'm not the most confident person you'll meet and that kind of stuff really upsets me. I'm not just a random name in cyberspace; I'm a person who has feelings that can be hurt. I'm also not one of those people who kills Jude off/has someone rape her/whatever to make the story exciting, I'm just writing about what happens to them everyday. So if you're looking for one of those, you're in the wrong place. But if you're looking for a story that tries to highlight the little things that make life wonderful and interesting, you're in the right one.


	2. Chapter 9

A/N: Ah, so I lied, here it is, nice and early. And so the story reconvenes. As of now, it looks like it's going to have a total of seventeen chapters. Because I lost everything I have decided to take it in a new direction that supposed rockstar and me talked about… Hehe. I've recovered part of chapter one and I think that's all I'm going to get back. Ah well.

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star.

(What I think is the) recap of the end of chapter eight for instarNUM1:

They were greeted by the sight of Sadie sitting on the stairway. Apparently, she had been waiting for them.

"Tommy!" she cried, flying to him. She was stopped by the look on his face. Her expression hardened. "I'm not going to like what you have to say, am I, Tom?

"Sadie, we need to talk."

**Chapter Nine:**

Bickering voices floated up along the stairwell into Jude's room. She didn't try to listen in; she thought that would be disrespectful considering this whole mess was her fault. Her body was draped on her bed, her arm dangled over the side. She lifted her head up to gaze out into the night. Lying there, she realized that the stars knew nothing of what was happening in the hallway between Tommy and Sadie. They only knew eternity. Life could be funny that way, giving you perspective at the weirdest of times. Lyrics, ideas, rhythms began to form in Jude's head. She pushed herself up from her languid position and tiptoed over to her guitar case. As she lifted the guitar from its resting place, she heard a loud scream. She dropped the instrument with a deafening bang on the floor.

Tommy stared at Sadie in shock. She was lying on the floor in a heap, and tears were streaming down her face. It was as if someone had taken over his body for a moment, someone else's hand had flown across the blonde's cheek. And when the real Tommy returned from his out-of-body experience, he was horrified with himself.

"Oh, Sadie, I'm so sorry," he began to grovel for forgiveness, sinking down to the floor. As he advanced, attempting to comfort her, she scuttled away from him with great speed.

"Don't come near me." She began to shake uncontrollably. "Don't you _EVER_ come near me!"

Tommy paused, suddenly aware that he was fighting a losing battle. He looked up the stairs at Jude's door. How much had she heard? he thought. In the fury of the moment, he did not notice the loud sound that had erupted from upstairs.

Jude immediately turned off all the lights in her room. Maybe if they think I'm asleep, they won't bother me. Maybe I will wake up and this will all have been a dream. And yet, she had no idea what she was so afraid of.

Her mind was currently fighting a battle of wills: _So Sadie yelled, big deal, right?_ She didn't yell, you idiot, she screamed. _Yeah, but… Sadie's a drama queen!_ Yeah, but that sounded serious._ Tommy couldn't have done anything, could he?_ Now you're coming around, that's what I was thinking.

Jude shook her head ferociously to rid herself of these traitorous thoughts. Only Tommy can tell me that, she thought. I need to talk to Tommy. But what was keeping her so firmly rooted to the floor? As hard as she willed her feet to move, they wouldn't budge an inch. She sat down where she was and pulled her fallen guitar into her lap.

"_Eternity… in your eyes…_" Jude's flash of inspiration was gone. _Twang_, one of the strings snapped, both at her and with her. Instead of putting on a new one, she decided she needed to stop avoiding the confrontation that she knew was inevitable.

This time, her feet and her mind walked as one: out the door, down the stairs, into the gentle light of the front hallway. Tommy had already left. Jude saw at Sadie sitting on the couch in the fetal position, her blonde hair had fallen into her face. In that moment, as she used her mane to hide herself from the world, she looked just like Jude often felt. As if hiding from the world could fix everything.

Jude debated going back upstairs, because Sadie looked as though she would prefer not to be disturbed. But then: "I know you're standing behind me, Jude. Don't you even think about hiding from me in your room." Sadie's body twisted around to look her little sister in the eye; there was both bitterness and fear within her gaze.

For the second time that night, Jude couldn't move. Her sister had been crying—hard—that much was obvious. The front of her shirt was stained with slowly drying tears, her eyes were rimmed with red.

"What are you waiting for? Sit with me. I don't bite." At this, Sadie chuckled. The sound reverberated throughout the room, and the walls seemed to sigh with relief. Jude's first steps were hesitant, and then she quickened her paced and plopped down next to her sister, enveloping her in a huge hug. Both sisters began to cry openly, and Jude realized her suspicions were right. There was no need to ask.


End file.
